Many people ask me to tell them what keeps me so busy. Others just tend to wonder.
I find myself lost for answers. I know that I am hectically busy yet unable to understand how so little output can keep me as busy as it does. Society defines outputs in terms of income; the busier one is, the more income one should be bring in...
I seem to have the mix all wrong, or do I?
So much of my time seems to go into ventures that have zero financial yield. Charity work sucks up a substantial portion of my day. Make no mistake, it is highly rewarding and fulfilling, in that I get to use my talents for the good of others. There is also plenty of time spent with my family; the polar opposite to the situation when I was a corporate lackey. This is valuable time, real influence in the lives of my children. Then there are some entrepreneurial ventures that give me great pleasure and one day may show incredible returns, such as my foray into classic cars.
And yes, some of my time is spent working incredibly hard on projects that yield hard cash.
Sometimes, like now, I struggle to justify my choices to myself. Can I really ‘waste’ my time on stuff that does not support my family in the here and now? Is it possible to have some fun and dabble in incredibly interesting undertakings rather than directing all of my efforts towards making piles of loot? How will I afford a skiing trip for my family if I spend most of my time on charity work? How do I create a financial nest egg for our later years if I am giving away my best time for free? And so it goes...
I tend to come back to the stand point that I am trading much of my time to meet goals that are important to me and have been for all of my life. Goals that I could not have hoped to meet in my past corporate existence. As a result, my entrepreneurial life provides time but also brings much risk, excitement, and loads of self doubt.
I feel more fulfilled than ever, yet the more fulfilled I feel, the more I feel I need to do. I question if I am using my time well enough, can I not do more with what I have? I can only hope and pray that the long term cost of the fulfilled life is not too great. Then again, when I die, I would have done exactly what I had set out to do. Surely this is exactly what I want, and worth a potential difficult old age? Or as my wife may argue; a frugal now!
And the questions continue...and time moves on.
Showing posts with label charity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label charity. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
A hodgepodge update
It seems like ages since I last posted anything and I am feeling appropriately guilty. So much has been going on; most of it in a state of sleep deprivation!
It gets worse; I even found myself looking forward to a kids birthday party. One of Luke’s friends invited him and I to a camp out on their family farm. Apart from my enjoyment of camping and the ‘coolness’ factor of spending quality time with my oldest, I had an ulterior motive that involved uninterrupted slumber. The lads had a roaring time as did the dads but I was happy to hear the lads ordered off to bed. I found the process of putting my son to bed so tiring that I decided to crawl into my sleeping bag to rest for a while. A howling wind, a lack of fibre in my sleeping bag, and a thin mattress ensured that my sleep was far from comfortable or interrupted. Regardless, it was the best kids birthday party I have ever attended!
The weekend also saw me taking a number of photographs of a family in my new makeshift lounge studio. I was surprised how easy it was to capture some really great portraits. Once again, the blindingly obvious that practise makes perfect shone on through! Although I am far from perfect...
Work has recently come pouring through the door. Hopefully it will keep on coming in although it does mean that my book is now on the back burner again. At least this time I know that I can pick it up at any time and carry on. I will finish it; I have a story to tell and a message to share!
Judo last night was also a revelation. I walked out of the Judoka without a single new injury, a first in many weeks. Please note that I also managed to walk and not stagger out using my two boys as walking sticks. I have a sneaky suspicion that my Judo improvement has something to do with my brain being firmly engaged again! Is it possible that an engaged brain means one is able to perform better in all aspects of life? If so, how do I keep it engaged when not fully engrossed in a project?
And the new star of our family has certainly kept us on our toes. There is no doubt in my mind that the human brain is programmed to forget the constant minding that a new born requires, the sleeplessness, the inability to reason, the complete lack of communication, and the incredible joy of having had a small part to play in this fragile new creation!
All sorts of new charity projects have suddenly sparked my interest. Just this morning I met a chap in the school parking lot who is planning to rent a warehouse to house the homeless in our town. Here I was contemplating the lack of surfable waves and this chap is trying to make the lives of at least 100 people better than ever! I can certainly see myself getting involved in a piece of that. First though, I have to get my Sir Lowry’s Village ‘fix a house’ project going. I have a number of volunteers including a builder. My mom has also made a donation of R1000 to get us started. With a bit of luck, we will be able to make a real difference in the living conditions of a family or two with that.
Dear Isabella is gentle calling me over. I must find out what she needs...
It gets worse; I even found myself looking forward to a kids birthday party. One of Luke’s friends invited him and I to a camp out on their family farm. Apart from my enjoyment of camping and the ‘coolness’ factor of spending quality time with my oldest, I had an ulterior motive that involved uninterrupted slumber. The lads had a roaring time as did the dads but I was happy to hear the lads ordered off to bed. I found the process of putting my son to bed so tiring that I decided to crawl into my sleeping bag to rest for a while. A howling wind, a lack of fibre in my sleeping bag, and a thin mattress ensured that my sleep was far from comfortable or interrupted. Regardless, it was the best kids birthday party I have ever attended!
The weekend also saw me taking a number of photographs of a family in my new makeshift lounge studio. I was surprised how easy it was to capture some really great portraits. Once again, the blindingly obvious that practise makes perfect shone on through! Although I am far from perfect...
Work has recently come pouring through the door. Hopefully it will keep on coming in although it does mean that my book is now on the back burner again. At least this time I know that I can pick it up at any time and carry on. I will finish it; I have a story to tell and a message to share!
Judo last night was also a revelation. I walked out of the Judoka without a single new injury, a first in many weeks. Please note that I also managed to walk and not stagger out using my two boys as walking sticks. I have a sneaky suspicion that my Judo improvement has something to do with my brain being firmly engaged again! Is it possible that an engaged brain means one is able to perform better in all aspects of life? If so, how do I keep it engaged when not fully engrossed in a project?
And the new star of our family has certainly kept us on our toes. There is no doubt in my mind that the human brain is programmed to forget the constant minding that a new born requires, the sleeplessness, the inability to reason, the complete lack of communication, and the incredible joy of having had a small part to play in this fragile new creation!
All sorts of new charity projects have suddenly sparked my interest. Just this morning I met a chap in the school parking lot who is planning to rent a warehouse to house the homeless in our town. Here I was contemplating the lack of surfable waves and this chap is trying to make the lives of at least 100 people better than ever! I can certainly see myself getting involved in a piece of that. First though, I have to get my Sir Lowry’s Village ‘fix a house’ project going. I have a number of volunteers including a builder. My mom has also made a donation of R1000 to get us started. With a bit of luck, we will be able to make a real difference in the living conditions of a family or two with that.
Dear Isabella is gentle calling me over. I must find out what she needs...
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Hacking Horribly in the Helderberg
Yesterday I played golf. Trust me, I am no golfer. When I retrieved my clubs from a cupboard in the garage I removed an SAA baggage tag dated 2006. That was apparently when I last used my clubs. I subsequently removed a couple of hotel brownies and a large chocolate biscuit from my golf shoes. From careful calculations of the amount of mould, my suspicions were confirmed that it had been a long time!
The golf day was a fundraiser, as they all are, for our church and a local charity concern that looks after disabled children. The big event was held at Erinvale Golf Course, a beautiful and challenging course on the side of the Helderberg.
Golf courses frighten me as it seems to be an outward expression of one’s obscene wealth. Unable to do compete, I parked at the far end of the parking lot so as not to cause a stir in the ‘cool’ car section. I then walked around the pro shop, eventually settling on a purchase of a second hand golf ball for R8. The assistant and I were both under no illusions that I did not fit in!
On the first tee, a friend and I met up with the rest of our four ball. Two Scottish chaps in their 70’s! Watching them tee off released plenty of pressure in us as it was clear that our golf was not about to win any competitions. Instead the plan was to have some fun. The sun was hot, the wind whipped my short pants around my legs and I drove a beautiful shot down the fairway. It was the last time I would play off that manicured grass, the longer stuff on the sides seemed so much nicer to my ball!
We laughed and joked, and occasionally even played a decent shot. Two good shots in a row were rare and three unheard of! I discovered that if I put my back into my swing I could almost smack the casing off the ball; sending it straight as an arrow as far as I could see. Unfortunately these sweet shots cost me five balls in rapid succession as they went straight in a direction I had not intended; into a wine farm across a road, into the gardens of houses that probably did not know they lived on a golf estate, and into water hazards that were picnic spots and well off the beaten golf track! Lesson learned – tone down the power swing! My soft shots were still beautiful examples of golfing technique, except that the compass in my R8 golf ball seemed to be on the blink, hence my zigzag up to every green.
The last hole saw me provide a demonstration of my ‘Happy Gilmore’ swing. Tee the ball up high, stand well behind it, start the swing, step to the ball, and hit it hard, hockey style! Much to the delight of the Scotts, the ball took off landing just short of the green. Ironic that whilst trying to control my swing all day I had no direction and with the most uncontrolled swing, I got the direction perfect!
Prize giving saw our 4 ball take last place – 24th to be specific! The rest of the field seemed to have had as much fun as us but used their clubs far less in the process. It still makes little sense to me that you want to spend more on equipment so that you can use it less. Our four ball certainly got its money’s worth!
Lots of money was raised through an auction, at least R100,000 ($12,000). Everyone was only to keen to open their wallets and give generously which is exactly what was needed. My wallet was very shy and so I was glad to slink off to the far end of the parking lot and climb unnoticed into my car.
Suffice to say, golf is not my game and I am an uncomfortable man around people of serious wealth. I just do not relate!
The golf day was a fundraiser, as they all are, for our church and a local charity concern that looks after disabled children. The big event was held at Erinvale Golf Course, a beautiful and challenging course on the side of the Helderberg.
Golf courses frighten me as it seems to be an outward expression of one’s obscene wealth. Unable to do compete, I parked at the far end of the parking lot so as not to cause a stir in the ‘cool’ car section. I then walked around the pro shop, eventually settling on a purchase of a second hand golf ball for R8. The assistant and I were both under no illusions that I did not fit in!
On the first tee, a friend and I met up with the rest of our four ball. Two Scottish chaps in their 70’s! Watching them tee off released plenty of pressure in us as it was clear that our golf was not about to win any competitions. Instead the plan was to have some fun. The sun was hot, the wind whipped my short pants around my legs and I drove a beautiful shot down the fairway. It was the last time I would play off that manicured grass, the longer stuff on the sides seemed so much nicer to my ball!
We laughed and joked, and occasionally even played a decent shot. Two good shots in a row were rare and three unheard of! I discovered that if I put my back into my swing I could almost smack the casing off the ball; sending it straight as an arrow as far as I could see. Unfortunately these sweet shots cost me five balls in rapid succession as they went straight in a direction I had not intended; into a wine farm across a road, into the gardens of houses that probably did not know they lived on a golf estate, and into water hazards that were picnic spots and well off the beaten golf track! Lesson learned – tone down the power swing! My soft shots were still beautiful examples of golfing technique, except that the compass in my R8 golf ball seemed to be on the blink, hence my zigzag up to every green.
The last hole saw me provide a demonstration of my ‘Happy Gilmore’ swing. Tee the ball up high, stand well behind it, start the swing, step to the ball, and hit it hard, hockey style! Much to the delight of the Scotts, the ball took off landing just short of the green. Ironic that whilst trying to control my swing all day I had no direction and with the most uncontrolled swing, I got the direction perfect!
Prize giving saw our 4 ball take last place – 24th to be specific! The rest of the field seemed to have had as much fun as us but used their clubs far less in the process. It still makes little sense to me that you want to spend more on equipment so that you can use it less. Our four ball certainly got its money’s worth!
Lots of money was raised through an auction, at least R100,000 ($12,000). Everyone was only to keen to open their wallets and give generously which is exactly what was needed. My wallet was very shy and so I was glad to slink off to the far end of the parking lot and climb unnoticed into my car.
Suffice to say, golf is not my game and I am an uncomfortable man around people of serious wealth. I just do not relate!
Monday, August 3, 2009
More than Enough
My wife and I spent Saturday doing some serious spring cleaning. Not because it is spring but rather because of an unshakable feeling that we have too much stuff. We have so much that just sits in drawers and cupboards and never gets used. What a waste, when so many people living just a few kilometres from our house could really make great use of it all.
Anyhow, we worked hard and late and forgot to plan for dinner. Hence why I found myself with a mound of take aways on the front seat of my car. Whilst passing a number of people hunched into their clothes against the cold and walking tiredly home, I had an interesting thought. What if I stopped and randomly handed one of them a packet of hot chips? Surely I had more than enough food to feed my family? And even if it was not enough, I have more than enough other food at home...
Then I really got to thinking. How would I know that the person I chose to feed deserved my gift? How would I know that they would not be offended?
So I drove on home...
I am such an idiot. We had a great meal and we had food left over. I felt really bad. Nothing like having a charitable thought and not following through! Pathetic!
I love receiving stuff. It does not matter what it is, it is just great to get something for nothing. I have no doubt that anyone out there would be happy for the unexpected random act of kindness. Perhaps they would then pass it on and create a utopian chain of joy. Perhaps they would just have eaten my measly packet of chips and felt full for the first time in the day, or week, or even the month!
I am still kicking myself that I did not share last night. I have more than enough, but most people in my country have almost nothing, and little chance of more!
Then again, there is always today!
Anyhow, we worked hard and late and forgot to plan for dinner. Hence why I found myself with a mound of take aways on the front seat of my car. Whilst passing a number of people hunched into their clothes against the cold and walking tiredly home, I had an interesting thought. What if I stopped and randomly handed one of them a packet of hot chips? Surely I had more than enough food to feed my family? And even if it was not enough, I have more than enough other food at home...
Then I really got to thinking. How would I know that the person I chose to feed deserved my gift? How would I know that they would not be offended?
So I drove on home...
I am such an idiot. We had a great meal and we had food left over. I felt really bad. Nothing like having a charitable thought and not following through! Pathetic!
I love receiving stuff. It does not matter what it is, it is just great to get something for nothing. I have no doubt that anyone out there would be happy for the unexpected random act of kindness. Perhaps they would then pass it on and create a utopian chain of joy. Perhaps they would just have eaten my measly packet of chips and felt full for the first time in the day, or week, or even the month!
I am still kicking myself that I did not share last night. I have more than enough, but most people in my country have almost nothing, and little chance of more!
Then again, there is always today!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
I visited the camp for refugees of violence in Gordons Bay today. There are about 1,500 people housed there with this number expected to grow. Disaster Relief seems to be in charge of the big items like tents and food. Members of churches have banded together and are providing all sorts of other social aid. In order for this camp to function, there is a requirement for about 80 volunteers.
In a twisted paradox, the people in the camp are bored and frustrated and yet volunteers are still required. Seems rather a waste of human capital! I have been assured that the idea is to reduce reliance on volunteers and get these people working to help themselves. Not knowing how long this crisis will continue obviously complicates the process. Of one thing I can assure you, staying in a camp with another 1499 bored and unhappy individuals is not my idea of fun. Neither is the soup and couple of slices of bread for breakfast and dinner!
What a tragedy that so many have been displaced by our fellow countryman’s greed. That so many have lost their livelihood and now are faced with an uncertain and undoubtedly bleak future.
There is heaps of relief being showered on these people. Volunteers are doing awesome work all over the place. My question is why do we not have the same level of charity and time to shower on our own people in normal times? Is it because our own desperate fellow South Africans do not elicit the same compassion within us? Are we not as embarrassed about the plight of the average South African as we are of foreigners?
I sincerely believe that the solution to our countries problems lies with every one of us adding our talents and resources into the mix. Like it or not, you and I need to get off our butts and make a difference!
And if you are already off your butt, please kick the rest of us off ours!!!
In a twisted paradox, the people in the camp are bored and frustrated and yet volunteers are still required. Seems rather a waste of human capital! I have been assured that the idea is to reduce reliance on volunteers and get these people working to help themselves. Not knowing how long this crisis will continue obviously complicates the process. Of one thing I can assure you, staying in a camp with another 1499 bored and unhappy individuals is not my idea of fun. Neither is the soup and couple of slices of bread for breakfast and dinner!
What a tragedy that so many have been displaced by our fellow countryman’s greed. That so many have lost their livelihood and now are faced with an uncertain and undoubtedly bleak future.
There is heaps of relief being showered on these people. Volunteers are doing awesome work all over the place. My question is why do we not have the same level of charity and time to shower on our own people in normal times? Is it because our own desperate fellow South Africans do not elicit the same compassion within us? Are we not as embarrassed about the plight of the average South African as we are of foreigners?
I sincerely believe that the solution to our countries problems lies with every one of us adding our talents and resources into the mix. Like it or not, you and I need to get off our butts and make a difference!
And if you are already off your butt, please kick the rest of us off ours!!!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Today I had a most humbling experience.
I joined a group of people for a visit to a new self help shelter in a small settlement just up the road from my house. I have driven through this place countless times in the past and often wondered at the level and extent of poverty that existed there. Now I know and I don’t know what to about it!
This project operates out of an old train station. Strangely the train still runs past this station but no longer stops here anymore. I hear it took a bit of effort to wrestle this space from the relevant authorities. But cudo’s to all concerned as this beautiful building now serves a beautiful purpose.
In amongst a sea of shacks and ancient buildings, this lovely old station building rises majestically. Walking down the platform there was a new vegetable garden on my left, a sign of the new life breathed into this place. Walking along the platform I felt like I was walking back in time to a place where this station once was a lifeline. Walking inside I was surprised to see people lined up in rows and rows of chairs. Just waiting, quietly and patiently.
I suppose that these people had fought long and hard for their lives against every possible obstacle. Now, they were left with nothing but the care of a few concerned citizens. I heard that there were normally 300 people that got fed on a daily basis and that is before the cold and wet Cape winter has bitten. Today though, some had gotten work picking in the orchards. For the rest, stale bread and some vegetable soup was the order of the day, as it is every day! And boy are they thankful for this lifeline that the station has become once again.
I heard stories of how people have one set of clothes. Stories of how something as simple as being given a set of second hand clothing has made an incredible difference to the psychological outlook of many. That’s right, our old rags in the right hands are mental gold, let alone a physical comfort!
I learnt too how 130 more children in this village will become orphans before the end of the year. Perhaps I have become emotional and weak in my time off so far, but this was a soul destroying visit. My heart ached for these poor people. I have no idea how many child headed families and current orphans fight their way through each day but have no doubt that there are plenty. And what I heard and saw is just the tip of the iceberg, just a short run from my luxury house and car and many, many changes of clothes.
I watched this people get their meagre but life giving meals and shuffle out the door. Some stayed behind to wash down the floors and clean up. I too walked out of the train station where a train no longer stops and wondered what it would take for me to get off my butt and do something. There is so much to do out there and yet I have so many excuses to keep on not doing any of it.
Despite all of the things that I need to do and places I have to see and people I need to meet and life I have to live, am I going to stop my train at this station or am I going to keep on going?
I joined a group of people for a visit to a new self help shelter in a small settlement just up the road from my house. I have driven through this place countless times in the past and often wondered at the level and extent of poverty that existed there. Now I know and I don’t know what to about it!
This project operates out of an old train station. Strangely the train still runs past this station but no longer stops here anymore. I hear it took a bit of effort to wrestle this space from the relevant authorities. But cudo’s to all concerned as this beautiful building now serves a beautiful purpose.
In amongst a sea of shacks and ancient buildings, this lovely old station building rises majestically. Walking down the platform there was a new vegetable garden on my left, a sign of the new life breathed into this place. Walking along the platform I felt like I was walking back in time to a place where this station once was a lifeline. Walking inside I was surprised to see people lined up in rows and rows of chairs. Just waiting, quietly and patiently.
I suppose that these people had fought long and hard for their lives against every possible obstacle. Now, they were left with nothing but the care of a few concerned citizens. I heard that there were normally 300 people that got fed on a daily basis and that is before the cold and wet Cape winter has bitten. Today though, some had gotten work picking in the orchards. For the rest, stale bread and some vegetable soup was the order of the day, as it is every day! And boy are they thankful for this lifeline that the station has become once again.
I heard stories of how people have one set of clothes. Stories of how something as simple as being given a set of second hand clothing has made an incredible difference to the psychological outlook of many. That’s right, our old rags in the right hands are mental gold, let alone a physical comfort!
I learnt too how 130 more children in this village will become orphans before the end of the year. Perhaps I have become emotional and weak in my time off so far, but this was a soul destroying visit. My heart ached for these poor people. I have no idea how many child headed families and current orphans fight their way through each day but have no doubt that there are plenty. And what I heard and saw is just the tip of the iceberg, just a short run from my luxury house and car and many, many changes of clothes.
I watched this people get their meagre but life giving meals and shuffle out the door. Some stayed behind to wash down the floors and clean up. I too walked out of the train station where a train no longer stops and wondered what it would take for me to get off my butt and do something. There is so much to do out there and yet I have so many excuses to keep on not doing any of it.
Despite all of the things that I need to do and places I have to see and people I need to meet and life I have to live, am I going to stop my train at this station or am I going to keep on going?
Saturday, March 29, 2008
There is a war going on in my head. The different factions are all doing what they can to gain the upper hand. The fighting is intense and seems to be heating up, big time.
One side is pretty devious, they are all for materialism and wealth. They want me to go out there and get more and more and more. Just today I saw a house on the beach that looked awesome. I got the number and called. The house was tiny, a wooden beach hut, just up from the beach. The asking price was a paltry R3.2 million. Funny enough, this warring faction got into gear and started scheming ways to produce a little less than the asking price. With thoughts of being next to the beach, walking to a surf break and sleeping to the sound of crashing waves, these soldiers seemed to be getting the upper hand.
Another of the factions is in a little disarray. This faction is all for improvement of society and the upliftment of the poor. They really want me to devote my life to the ideal of working for the common good. Sure they have made a little headway in a couple of areas. But the headway seems to be starts and follow through has been lacking to date. I started my blog to rant about society and have ended up with a blog that seems to be a place of semi motivation and some schizophrenic mental ramblings. I suppose that is what a blog is all about, letting you into a window of my world, mad or not! On the book front, things have ground to a complete halt, as my intense inspiration vanished into thin air. That’s actually not true, after the inspiration dried up I continued to write some wonderful drivel. I will have to deal with that soon and throw it all away... There have been a couple of good wins, but this side needs to put in some intense effort in order to come out on top.
And then there is this splinter group. They are pretty laid back and relaxed. Relax, take it easy is their slogan and I seem to keep hearing it on the radio too. These dudes are keen to surf and surf and then take it easy some and then do some more surfing. They are quite keen to sleep in late, read lots of fiction and just enjoy the good life. The irony is that these guys are doing pretty badly in the war. I have all of this time yet have spent less of it reading, surfing and in reflection that when I had a full time job. The guys are still pretty convincing and I have to say that the good life is certainly rather appealing but it would seem that I intend to err on the side of activity. I have no doubt that if they win, they will come short with the last of the cash that I can scrape together. They can’t last too long.
The ultra conservatives are also part of the battle. They seem to be ruling the roost at the moment. They are convinced that if I slack off for a minute the world will fall to pieces. They are quite a rough and demanding bunch of comrades. I do think that I would rather be friendly with them than against them. These guys want to maintain my current lifestyle, whatever that may be. They want to do what they can but they seem to be a bit slow in their thinking. They have not yet managed to find a way. They are searching for business opportunities and trying to understand what it is that I should be doing with my life. To date, no news on that front. Instead they believe in action, action and more action. Sleeping on the job and relaxation is not acceptable and should be followed up with more activity in order to ensure that all lost time is made up. I hope that they will consolidate their activities soon as I am tired of continuous action. This idea of being a pilgrim in ones own life sounds like an ideal romantic notion but in reality it is tiring as there is no focussed direction.
Backwards and forwards, volleys of shots, lots of wasted ammunition. Missiles, rockets and subversive tactics. Charges and rebuffs, broken defences breached and on it goes.
I don’t need a beach house. Somehow I have to find a way to support my family and work for the common good of all. Within me, I know that this is the answer. I suppose it is the how that has caused my mental battle. This is my own conundrum that I need to solve, as many before me have solved in their own lives. I also know that I have to take it one day at a time and that my path will slowly become clear to me.
Pity that I want to know now!
One side is pretty devious, they are all for materialism and wealth. They want me to go out there and get more and more and more. Just today I saw a house on the beach that looked awesome. I got the number and called. The house was tiny, a wooden beach hut, just up from the beach. The asking price was a paltry R3.2 million. Funny enough, this warring faction got into gear and started scheming ways to produce a little less than the asking price. With thoughts of being next to the beach, walking to a surf break and sleeping to the sound of crashing waves, these soldiers seemed to be getting the upper hand.
Another of the factions is in a little disarray. This faction is all for improvement of society and the upliftment of the poor. They really want me to devote my life to the ideal of working for the common good. Sure they have made a little headway in a couple of areas. But the headway seems to be starts and follow through has been lacking to date. I started my blog to rant about society and have ended up with a blog that seems to be a place of semi motivation and some schizophrenic mental ramblings. I suppose that is what a blog is all about, letting you into a window of my world, mad or not! On the book front, things have ground to a complete halt, as my intense inspiration vanished into thin air. That’s actually not true, after the inspiration dried up I continued to write some wonderful drivel. I will have to deal with that soon and throw it all away... There have been a couple of good wins, but this side needs to put in some intense effort in order to come out on top.
And then there is this splinter group. They are pretty laid back and relaxed. Relax, take it easy is their slogan and I seem to keep hearing it on the radio too. These dudes are keen to surf and surf and then take it easy some and then do some more surfing. They are quite keen to sleep in late, read lots of fiction and just enjoy the good life. The irony is that these guys are doing pretty badly in the war. I have all of this time yet have spent less of it reading, surfing and in reflection that when I had a full time job. The guys are still pretty convincing and I have to say that the good life is certainly rather appealing but it would seem that I intend to err on the side of activity. I have no doubt that if they win, they will come short with the last of the cash that I can scrape together. They can’t last too long.
The ultra conservatives are also part of the battle. They seem to be ruling the roost at the moment. They are convinced that if I slack off for a minute the world will fall to pieces. They are quite a rough and demanding bunch of comrades. I do think that I would rather be friendly with them than against them. These guys want to maintain my current lifestyle, whatever that may be. They want to do what they can but they seem to be a bit slow in their thinking. They have not yet managed to find a way. They are searching for business opportunities and trying to understand what it is that I should be doing with my life. To date, no news on that front. Instead they believe in action, action and more action. Sleeping on the job and relaxation is not acceptable and should be followed up with more activity in order to ensure that all lost time is made up. I hope that they will consolidate their activities soon as I am tired of continuous action. This idea of being a pilgrim in ones own life sounds like an ideal romantic notion but in reality it is tiring as there is no focussed direction.
Backwards and forwards, volleys of shots, lots of wasted ammunition. Missiles, rockets and subversive tactics. Charges and rebuffs, broken defences breached and on it goes.
I don’t need a beach house. Somehow I have to find a way to support my family and work for the common good of all. Within me, I know that this is the answer. I suppose it is the how that has caused my mental battle. This is my own conundrum that I need to solve, as many before me have solved in their own lives. I also know that I have to take it one day at a time and that my path will slowly become clear to me.
Pity that I want to know now!
Monday, March 10, 2008
CHARITY
I have been thinking about charity today. I am blessed to have all of this time (what time?) on my hands and I feel a need for me to give something back. You would think that if you wanted to donate your time and effort to a good cause that it would be a simple thing. Our country is filled with need. I have no doubt that you too see the need out there every day. Yet I have found it immensely difficult to find a local cause that I can support. I got to thinking about how I select a cause that really resonates with me? I think it starts with passion, but I am sure it needs to be more than that. And like the good list maker that I am, I made a short list of my quality requirements:
1. Project must resonate with me. My soul needs to overflow with compassion for the cause and I must be moved to do something about it.
2. Project needs to be close to where I live.
3. The need must be legitimate.
4. I would like to empower people rather than provide handouts.
I have long believed that there needs to be some sort of organisation that works toward matching up potential donors with legitimate needs that exist. This will allow donors to select projects according to their own quality requirements. It will also provide a voice for those who have no voice or visibility to be heard and seen. I saw a website like this in the UK. It is called The BIG Give (http://www.thebiggive.org.uk/). There is something similar in SA called Charity SA (http://www.charitysa.co.za/western-cape.html) which lists all of the charities in the country and what they require. The problem with all of these lists is that they deal mostly with the big stuff. I have been looking for smaller local projects and that seems to be a far more difficult thing to do.
Searching the net has revealed some seriously interesting charities. There are web sites like JDI (Just Do It – http://www.jdi.org.za/). This is a pretty cool organisation. The idea is that this is a place where people who want to make a difference can get together. You and your mates can create a group or join a group that will invest some time and resources into a project or organisation. I really like the idea of contributing a fixed amount every month together with a group of your friends and then getting together and spending that money on a cause close to your hearts.
There is an organisation that seems to have some novel fundraising activities on the go – check out the Starfish Greathearts Foundation (http://www.starfishcharity.org/home.aspx?id_content=1). Their suggestions include dinners that you host (they supply some hosting packs) for you and your friends. Another idea is the sponsorship of your participation in sporting events (again you get a pack). You know how your children come home with those dreaded forms for some or other epic two kilometre walk, well now you can continue that tradition as an adult and get sponsored by all of your mates. Hopefully by now, you can run all two of those kilometres without stopping!
There are others that stand out, like Reach for a Dream (https://www.givengain.com/cgi-bin/giga.cgi?cmd=cause_dir_cause&cause_id=1305). That really appeals to me as it satisfies a hunger of the human spirit rather than a hunger that will be back tomorrow. Francois Pienaar’s MAD (Make a Difference Foundation - http://www.themadbunch.com/home/index.php) also seems to be doing good work although there are only 24 members and I am not sure that I would fit into such upper class company!!
Numerous international charity organisations are doing work in South Africa. This amazes me on many levels. I live here and am embarrassed that I can be so apathetic that somebody thousands of kilometres away must fight to make a difference.
I saw a great quote on one of the web sites:
'I believe that this could very well be looked on as a sin of our generation. I look at my parents and ask, where were they during the civil rights movement? I look at my grandparents and ask, what were they doing when the holocaust in Europe was occurring with regard to the Jews, and why didn't they speak up? And when we think of our great, great grandparents, we think how could they have sat by and allowed slavery to exist? And I believe that our children and their children, 40 to 50 years from now, are going to ask me, what did you do while 40 million children became orphans in Africa?'
I have been thinking about charity today. I am blessed to have all of this time (what time?) on my hands and I feel a need for me to give something back. You would think that if you wanted to donate your time and effort to a good cause that it would be a simple thing. Our country is filled with need. I have no doubt that you too see the need out there every day. Yet I have found it immensely difficult to find a local cause that I can support. I got to thinking about how I select a cause that really resonates with me? I think it starts with passion, but I am sure it needs to be more than that. And like the good list maker that I am, I made a short list of my quality requirements:
1. Project must resonate with me. My soul needs to overflow with compassion for the cause and I must be moved to do something about it.
2. Project needs to be close to where I live.
3. The need must be legitimate.
4. I would like to empower people rather than provide handouts.
I have long believed that there needs to be some sort of organisation that works toward matching up potential donors with legitimate needs that exist. This will allow donors to select projects according to their own quality requirements. It will also provide a voice for those who have no voice or visibility to be heard and seen. I saw a website like this in the UK. It is called The BIG Give (http://www.thebiggive.org.uk/). There is something similar in SA called Charity SA (http://www.charitysa.co.za/western-cape.html) which lists all of the charities in the country and what they require. The problem with all of these lists is that they deal mostly with the big stuff. I have been looking for smaller local projects and that seems to be a far more difficult thing to do.
Searching the net has revealed some seriously interesting charities. There are web sites like JDI (Just Do It – http://www.jdi.org.za/). This is a pretty cool organisation. The idea is that this is a place where people who want to make a difference can get together. You and your mates can create a group or join a group that will invest some time and resources into a project or organisation. I really like the idea of contributing a fixed amount every month together with a group of your friends and then getting together and spending that money on a cause close to your hearts.
There is an organisation that seems to have some novel fundraising activities on the go – check out the Starfish Greathearts Foundation (http://www.starfishcharity.org/home.aspx?id_content=1). Their suggestions include dinners that you host (they supply some hosting packs) for you and your friends. Another idea is the sponsorship of your participation in sporting events (again you get a pack). You know how your children come home with those dreaded forms for some or other epic two kilometre walk, well now you can continue that tradition as an adult and get sponsored by all of your mates. Hopefully by now, you can run all two of those kilometres without stopping!
There are others that stand out, like Reach for a Dream (https://www.givengain.com/cgi-bin/giga.cgi?cmd=cause_dir_cause&cause_id=1305). That really appeals to me as it satisfies a hunger of the human spirit rather than a hunger that will be back tomorrow. Francois Pienaar’s MAD (Make a Difference Foundation - http://www.themadbunch.com/home/index.php) also seems to be doing good work although there are only 24 members and I am not sure that I would fit into such upper class company!!
Numerous international charity organisations are doing work in South Africa. This amazes me on many levels. I live here and am embarrassed that I can be so apathetic that somebody thousands of kilometres away must fight to make a difference.
I saw a great quote on one of the web sites:
'I believe that this could very well be looked on as a sin of our generation. I look at my parents and ask, where were they during the civil rights movement? I look at my grandparents and ask, what were they doing when the holocaust in Europe was occurring with regard to the Jews, and why didn't they speak up? And when we think of our great, great grandparents, we think how could they have sat by and allowed slavery to exist? And I believe that our children and their children, 40 to 50 years from now, are going to ask me, what did you do while 40 million children became orphans in Africa?'
Rich Sterns, President of World Vision (US)
Hmmmm – and these people live on my doorstep! Did you know that in July 2006 there were 27,000 orphans in the Western Cape alone. By 2010 this number is supposed to have increased to greater than 51,000. We know that there are problems and it seems so hard to do something about it. Not everyone can go and feed a motherless child or do homework with a struggling teen. And yet who will if we won’t?
There really are some wonderful stories out there. I exchanged some mails with a lady who runs an organisation called CASE – community action toward a safer environment. Doesn’t sound like much but here is this woman in the heart of the worst gang areas in Cape Town working diligently with the youth to try and make a difference. A couple of months ago, she had her entire organisations office contents stolen. And still she is out there trying to get some more stuff donated and focussed on breaking this cycle of violence. Respect!
A lot of these websites include their own inspiration. Many of them talk about a couple of mates chatting over coffee and coming up with these grand ideas that have just grown into these wonderful ventures. Starfish started out that way and now supports just less than 35,000 children, from none a mere six years ago. The need is so huge and people have found innovative ways to start to make a difference. Start small and see what happens! In fact I am a little disappointed in myself. What on earth have I been doing while all of these children have been starving and homeless. Oh yes, I remember now, thinking about myself!
Making a difference is hard, but I suppose it is harder to fight for a piece of bread every single day of your life!
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